806 early voters for runoffThe Pope County Election Commission reported 806 voters turned out in the first week of early voting for the June 10 runoff. Only two races are on the ballot in Pope County — the circuit clerk race between Gina Skelton and Diane Willcutt and the attorney general race between Republicans Leslie Rutledge and David Sterling. In the May 20 primary, Skelton received 1,768 votes (28.96 percent) and Willcutt received 1,751 (28.68 percent) for Pope Co...

Craighead County voters asked to use paper ballots JONESBORO (AP) — Craighead County elections officials will be asking voters in the upcoming primary runoff to cast paper ballots because of a glitch in the software that accompanies the county's electronic voting machines. The issue was discovered Wednesday during a test of the voting equipment, Election Commission Chairman Scott McDaniel told The Jonesboro Sun (http://bit.ly/1kTHVdD ). The software issue does not change the vote that was cast...

Bitter end to GOP runoff for attorney general LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Little Rock lawyers Leslie Rutledge and David Sterling don't differ much ideologically as they seek the Republican nomination for Arkansas attorney general. Both are vowing to use the office to fight the federal government, and say they'll continue to defend the state's same-sex marriage ban, abortion restrictions and voter ID law as they're being challenged in court. The two are instead locked in an increasingly acrimonious...

Griffin pays Russellville a visitU.S. Congressman Tim Griffin visited Pope and Yell counties on a campaign tour Tuesday. Though now serving Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District, Griffin is running for lieutenant governor under the Republican Party. “I’ve been through here a lot through the campaign as we’ve gone to the western part of the state, but this is my first full day spent here,” Griffin said. “What we are doing is trying to go to all 75 counties.” Griffin’s visit too...

Highway officials want more road workers LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas highway officials intend to increase funding for maintenance operations so they can respond more quickly to severe winter weather. An ice storm in March snarled traffic for hours in eastern and northeastern Arkansas. At a meeting Wednesday, the Arkansas Highway Commission approved a budget request that would let maintenance crews hire 200 more people at a cost of $5.8 million. The agency also plans to add more equip...

Commission finalizes plansThe Pope County Election Commission confirmed poll workers for the June 10 runoff election and finalized plans to address other issues after the election during a meeting Wednesday afternoon. Election Coordinator Sherry Polsgrove reminded commissioners they had previously discussed waiting until after the May primary and the June runoff elections to discuss possible changes in polling locations. In April, commissioners approved temporarily cha...

Attorney General approves marijuana ballot wording LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas attorney general's office has certified the wording of a ballot proposal that would legalize marijuana in Arkansas. The Wednesday opinion opens the way for the measure's sponsor, Robert L. Reed, to begin gathering petition signatures in hope of placing the measure on the ballot. According to the proposal, voters would decide whether to approve making it legal to grow and possess marijuana and all products derive...

Candidate Q & AEditor's note: The Courier contacted the candidates in the runoff election for Pope County Circuit Clerk as part of its voter's guide for 2014. The candidates were emailed the same question. Below are the responses for those two candidates. Candidates for Pope County Circuit Clerk Gina Skelton If you could give voters a statement about why you should be elected, what would it be? Considering the volume of work that passes through the Circuit C...

Work begins on restoration of House chamber LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Work has begun on a $1 million restoration of the Arkansas state House chamber. Construction crews on Monday began a historic restoration project in the chamber where the 100-member House meets. The project includes restoring cracked pieces of stained glass, restoring plaster in the ceiling that has received water damage and restoring the House chamber's chandelier. A historic paint analysis has been conducted to return the ...

Group wants to help defend 12-week abortion ban LITTLE ROCK (AP) — An anti-abortion group based in Texas wants to help Arkansas officials defend the state's 12-week abortion ban before a federal appeals court. The Justice Foundation on Monday asked to file a friend of the court brief with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals defending the Arkansas law prohibiting most abortions 12 weeks into a woman's pregnancy. The group said it wanted to file the brief on behalf of women who it said had ...

Corporation to build new rice mill at Pine Bluff PINE BLUFF (AP) — Economic development officials say a new rice mill is headed to Pine Bluff. The state announced Monday that Southwind Milling Co. LLC will build a rice mill at the Port of Pine Bluff. The corporation is part of Optimum Group, which has been farming in Mississippi Delta states since 2010. Construction of the new mill is expected to begin immediately at the site in the Pine Bluff Port's Harbor Industrial District. Officials say...

Turnout light as early voting begins for runoff LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Turnout was light around the state on Tuesday as early voting began for an Arkansas primary runoff that's highlighted by an increasingly bitter fight for the Republican nomination for attorney general. Secretary of State Mark Martin's office said 3,708 voters had cast a ballot by mid-afternoon Tuesday, the first day of early voting for the June 10 runoff. Martin's office has predicted only 3 or 4 percent of the state's 1.6 m...

Rutledge outraises Sterling in AG's race LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Attorney general hopeful Leslie Rutledge reported Tuesday that she has raised more than twice the amount rival David Sterling did in the final days of their increasingly heated fight for the Republican nomination. But Rutledge reported having far less in the bank to spend ahead of next week's runoff. Rutledge reported raising $58,945 between May 21 and May 31, compared to the $24,750 Sterling raised in the same period. The L...

Early voting for runoff underwayEditor’s note: All numbers are according to official results listed on the Secretary of State’s website. Friday was the deadline to certify the May 20 primary election. Early voting started at 8 a.m. today for primary runoff elections and will continue weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through June 9. On Election Day, June 10, polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. In Pope County, Gina Skelton and Diane Willcutt will face off for Pope Count...

Pryor and Booker criticize Cotton on disaster aid LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Stumping in Arkansas on behalf of fellow Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker on Saturday accused Pryor's Republican rival of going against a bipartisan tradition by opposing disaster aid for the states hit by Superstorm Sandy. Booker lent a hand to Pryor's bid for a third term in one of the more expensive Senate races in the country, criticizing Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton's votes against legisla...

Faulkner County recount does not change outcome CONWAY (AP) — The outcome of the Republican primary in the Faulkner County Clerk's race is unchanged after a recount of votes. The Log Cabin Democrat reported Friday's recount shows deputy county clerk Margaret Darter defeated Marvin Lessmann by a count of 4,523 to 3,823. Initial vote totals were 4,522-3,822 in favor of Darter. Lessmann has said he was locked out of the courthouse when he arrived about a minute before closing time on May 22 — ...

Lawmakers say VA needs reforms after Shinseki exit LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Members of Arkansas' congressional delegation said Friday that the focus should shift to reforming the nation's veterans care network following the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki over systemic problems within the VA. Shinseki's resignation was announced shortly after Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman became the fourth member of the state's delegation to call for his departure over an inspector genera...

Robinson keeps low profile in treasurer's post LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A year after he was appointed to take over the scandal-plagued state treasurer's office, Charles Robinson has fulfilled the goal that Arkansas' governor and lawmakers had for a post that had been the focus of a federal corruption probe: keeping the ordinarily low-profile office out of the news. "The fact you haven't written anything about him tells you the job he's done," Gov. Mike Beebe said. Beebe tapped Robinson, a former...

Circuit Clerk 101Most people are aware of the Pope County Circuit Clerk's office, located inside the courthouse, but many may be unaware of what the circuit clerk's office does. The primary duties of the circuit clerk's office — as stated on its page of the county's website, www.popecountyar.com — "revolve around filing, docketing, attending court, issuing of notices, summonses, subpoenas and reporting to the Administrative Office of the Courts." The office re...

Shinseki resigns amid vets' health care problems WASHINGTON (AP) — Beset by growing evidence of patient delays and cover-ups, embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned from President Barack Obama's Cabinet Friday, taking the blame for what he decried as a "lack of integrity" in the sprawling health care system for the nation's military veterans. Obama, under mounting pressure to act from fellow Democrats who are worried about political fallout in the fall elections, praised...